Merchant Shipping Bill, 1981: Second Stage (Resumed).

Question again proposed: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

Minister of State at the Department of Transport (Mr. Flynn)

I have replied to some matters raised by Deputies Deasy and Corish and I had reached the situation where I was dealing with the coast-guard service. I agreed with Deputy Deasy that there was a need to improve the situation in so far as this service is concerned. It is fair to point out that the existing search and rescue coast lifesaving service extends to about 53 stations around the coast. I agreed with the Deputy that there was a need to improve the radio and communications network attached to those stations and we are giving very active consideration to it at this time.

I have given details of the VHF service which is at tender stage and the sites being procured to improve the overall service.

Mr. Deasy

Can the Minister tell me where the sites are located?

Mr. Flynn

They are in Valentia and Malin Head and there will be a sub-station in the north Mayo area and some sites have been viewed. Some of them are pretty inaccessible and this may cause difficulty in relation to construction work but it is intended to have a complete coastal communications network to service this.

Mr. Deasy

What about the south coast?

Mr. Flynn

As I said earlier today, it is the intention to provide the most modern technical VHF service for the whole coast. This is the initial stage and we are examining the tenders at present.

Mr. Boland

Is the Minister aware that there is no VHF covering the east coast but there are basic facilities on Howth Head which could easily be used. This point has been made to the Minister.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

We cannot proceed by way of question and answer.

Mr. Flynn

I was accommodating Deputy Deasy in this regard. I was agreeing with him that there was a need to improve the facility so far as radio and telephone communications are concerned in our 53 sub-stations around the country. Practically all countries have search and rescue operations around their coasts and they involve very many services like the lifeboat service, the Naval Service, the Air Corps, the security forces, the police, the harbour authorities and so on. The Department itself chairs the committee to co-ordinate the marine search and rescue service in the country. I agreed that there is a need for improvement in that area and it is being undertaken as speedily as possible. The Deputy made reference to this country being a safe haven for drug stocks.

Mr. Deasy

I said a transit stop.

Mr. Flynn

An intermittent stopping off place for pedlars of drugs. I understand that the customs people, together with the Garda, have a very efficient operation going so far as the detection of drugs is concerned and I would like to put it on record that it is my personal belief that this activity is well in hand and hopefully it will continue to be so.

Somebody asked, I suppose hoping that it might not be possible to give the exact information, when was the last prosecution taken under this legislation. The most recent prosecution under this legislation was in 1980 and it bears a direct relationship to what Deputy Begley said about the operator in the Blasket Islands. Deputy Begley can rest assured that immediate action has already been put in train to deal with that matter. I agree with him that we cannot waste any time in having the matter put in hand properly. The Deputy will understand that county councils have responsibility for dealing with licensing ferries carrying less than 12 passengers and that the Department are responsible for those carrying more than 12 passengers. Rather than alarm anybody, let me say that it is my intention to take the necessary action to deal with this particular operator and hopefully it will be possible to create a safe situation if, as I presume, this ferry is necessary and can be licensed and the proper precautions and safety measures complied with. That will be dealt with this evening.

Mr. Begley

I appreciate the Minister's concern and I thank him for his action.

Mr. Flynn

I thank Deputy Begley for bringing it to my notice. There was another issue raised which relates to safety. That is the question of the Cristos Bitas and about the British ordering it to be taken away from their coast. As the Deputy knows, it finished up about half way between our coast and their coast and subsequently it was scuttled. The disposal of the vessel by sinking was decided in an agreement between the two Governments. That is the usual manner in which these things are dealt with. There is a good deal of co-operation and consultation between the various maritime states dealing with all matters concerning shipping.

I will now direct some of my replies to Deputy Corish who raised certain matters. His first one was in connection with the delay which he feels has been experienced in this matter since 1974.

Mr. Corish

I am not blaming Deputy Flynn.

Mr. Flynn

I understand that. But the Deputy will understand that quite a large number of countries have not yet ratified this convention or the protocol attaching thereto. In fact the 25 ratifications necessary to make it effective were only reached this summer and I believe that there has been no undue delay, as the protocol only became effective in May of this year. In fairness, it could not be said that we have been in any way tardy in having the matter put in hand. The Deputy made reference to the regulations and orders that might be made contingent on this legislation. As is customary, such regulations and orders as are required by Statute will be made before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Deputy also made reference to the question of particular ships that might not be covered by this. This measure includes passenger and cargo vessels. The Deputy will appreciate that this legislation applies to vessels in excess of 500 tons. But he can rest assured that it would be my intention that we would apply it across the board to all vessels irrespective of their size. The Deputy also made reference to the fact that fishing vessels were being excluded. The situation is that fishing fleets are exempt from the control of this legislation because they are covered by a separate convention. I think it is the Torremolinos Convention of 1977. That has not yet been ratified here but it is the intention of the Department to get it moved up in the legislative programme as soon as possible because it is important that fishing vessels would also be subject to the reasonably strict conditions that are applied to other vessels.

As far as warships and their involvement in this legislation are concerned, they are specifically excluded from this convention. This is standard practice in relation to warships. I understand that there are reasonably strict regulations attaching to the furnishing and equipment of warships, for obvious reasons.

Mr. Deasy

Has the Minister any plans to buy some of Maggie's navy? I believe some of it is going cheap.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

That is hardly relevant.

Mr. Flynn

We do not have a harbour in the west capable of taking one of them at present.

Mr. Deasy

What about Killary harbour.?

Mr. Flynn

It has often been stated that it is possible to shelter the whole of the British Navy in Killary harbour but it is not intended in the programme of infrastructural development at the moment to develop Killary harbour to that extent.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

We will get away from that.

Mr. Flynn

Deputy Corish referred to Whiddy and we all regret the tragedy that took place there. The fire-fighting equipment and facilities necessary to deal with any outbreak there are covered by the Department of Labour regulations which will be applied rigorously to any new operator or any continuing operation there.

The Deputy made reference also to exemptions for single journeys. That was a decision taken by IMCO in support of the situation that arises in the delivery of a ship. It was felt that until such time as the owners took possession of the ship in the port where the contract was to be signed, there would be an exemption order. Once the ship goes into normal usage the full rigour of the legislation is imposed. I do not know if that is specifically stated in the convention but the intention of the framers of the convention was that it would apply to single journeys and that that would be a case in point where it might apply.

While there are very high risk cargoes every effort is made to ensure that there are no inherent dangers attaching to them. We must all accept that in a developing economy high risk substances will have to be transported. I understand that from the conventions ratified and the conventions we will deal with in the programme of legislation to up date our participation in all these conventions a comprehensive package of safety regulations will emerge to deal with all matters concerned with ferrying whatever substances are necessary to keep the economy going. I again express my gratitude for the unanimous acceptance and support of Deputy Deasy and Deputy Corish of this legislation which will form not the total package dealing with all matters connected with marine safety but which will serve as a further step in the programme to bring about a situation where we can be reasonably assured that everything we can do is being done to provide the best and safest possible means of transportation.

Question put and agreed to.

Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday, 20 May 1981

Merchant Shipping Bill, 1981: Second Stage (Resumed).

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 May 1981